Thermopressure regulator



April 7, 1925.

W. H. CHAPMAN THERMOPRESSURE REGULATOR Filed April 18, 1922 INVENTOR. shky/o 6. [kip/raw.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 7, 1925 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE,

WASHINGTON H. CHAPMAN, O'F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

THERMOPBESSURE REGULATOR.

Application ,filed April 18, 1922. Serial -N0. 555,214.

the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to thermo-pressure regulators and the object of the invention is to provide a device for controlling the difference in pressure between a boiler or a steam supply line and a return line. Another object of the invention is to provide a thermo-pressure regulator comprising a thermostatic element which is operated by the temperature of the steam to control steam pressure. The principal and novel feature of this invention is embodied in the mechanism for controlling steam pressure by temperature. A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described comprising a thermostatic or eXpansible closed member containing a volatile fluid, the said member being expansible upon increase of temperature to reduce the steam pressure and upon decrease of temperature is contracted to increase the steam pressure. This device may be applied either to a steam heating boiler to control the difference in pressure between steam line and atmosphere or between the steam-and the return line or to a steam heating line to control the difference in pressure between the live steam and return lines. These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form of construction by which these objects are attained is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a steam boiler equipped with my improved thermo-pressure regulator. M

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the thermo-pressure regulator.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the connection of the regulator between a steam pressure line and return line.

I As shown in Fig. 1 the steam boiler is pro. vided with a steam pressure line 1 and a:

return line 2. A line 3 of smaller "diameter is connected into the pressure line-1 and at the opposite end opens into a chamber 4 shown in Fig. 3. This chamber- 1 contains a closed thermostatic member 5 which is partially filled with a volatile fluid suchv as alcohol or ether. This member 5 is mounted on a stud 6 at the bottom which prevents downward expansion of the member 5 and a short rod 7 extends upwardly from the member 5 through a packing nut 8 and is pivoted to .an arm 9 above the chamber 4:. Th1s thermostatic member 5 as will be read;

ily understood from Fig. 2 is expansible and contractable upon change of temperature in 1 a vertical direction only so that the rod 7 is moved up or down-to produce a corresponding movement of the arm 9. The arm 9 is pivoted at 10 on a bracket 11 and'the end-of the arm 9 is connectedby means of a rod 12 to the draught door 13 ofafurnace, the expansion'of the member 5 moving the rod 9'to close the door 13 and contraction of the member 5 moving the rod .9 to open the door 13 as will be readily understood. The chamber 4 is provided with an aperture 14 opening into a reservoir 15 l which is adapted to fill withv water or condensate from the return line 2.; Mounted in the reservoir 15 is a tube 16 having a'series of apertures in the lower end thereof open to the'reservoir and this tube 16 opens into a chamber 17 at the upper end. The chamber 17' is connected to the return line 2 by means of a conduit 18 and a bypass 19 is provided connecting the return line 2 with the reservoir 15. The reservoir 15,

chambers 4 and 17 and line18-arenormally filled with water or condensate to about the level shown in the line 2 inFig. 3 and as Y the water is cooler than steam the member 5 is contracted thus opening the door 13 as shown in Fig. 3. Due to the draught door 13 being open the fire in the furnace will burn with more intensity thus building up. the steam pressure'so that steam passes through the lines 1 and 3 and due to its pressure forces 7 the water or condensate down in the chamber 4: and reservoir 15. By this pressure water is forced through the .aper-' tures in the lower end of the'tube l6 upwardly through the tube 16 and chamber 17 and through theline 18 into the return line 2 the water alsopartia'lly filling the by-pass '19 due to-the pressure ofthe the water in the chamber 4 is discharged through the aperture 1% the steam comes in contact with the member 5 orinfiuences the temperature thereof thus heating the volatile fluid therein and expanding the, member 5 which moves the rod 7 upwardly and turns the arm 9 on the pivot 10 to close the draught "door 13 by means of the'rod 12. l/Vh'en the draught door 13 is closed the fire in the furnace burns with less intensity so that as the steam pressure is reduced the. pressure is decreased in the chamber 1 allowing the water to flow from the return line 2, through the line 18 into the chamber 17 and down. through the tube 16 andthrough .the apertures in the lower end thereof into the .reservoiri 15; Asthewater passes into the-reservoir. 15 it rises in the chamber 4: cooling the member 5 which contracts and bv means of the rod 7, arm 9 and rod 12 the draught dooris again opened. By setting the weight onthe arm 9 the device will operate to maintain a practically even 'pressuregin'the steam line or a uniform difference.in-"pressurebetween the steam line and the returndine so that the fluctuation of water in the chamber. 4 to produce contraction or expansion of the-member 5 varies but slightly, the device maintaining a greater pressure when the weight 20 is moved to the" right of Fig. 2 and a lesser pressure when the weight is moved to the left aswill be readily understood.

The by-pass 19 and reservoir 15 take the place of the usual steam loop between a steam and a return line and the bypass 19 prevents the possibility of entirely emptying the reservoir of reservewater. under continued pressure. Should a Con tinuous pressure build up in the line 3 and chamber 4: the water will be discharged from the reservoir 15 as hereinbefore described until the level of water is below. the opening of the bypass 19 into the reservoir 15.] At this time I the steam may flow through-the by-pass 19 into the return line 2thence through the line 18 into the chamber 17 and upper end of the tube '16, the

pressure of'the steam in the tube 16 and chamber 17 preventing. upward flow of water": through the said .tube normally caused by the. pressureon the body of water in the reservoir." The steam may thenbach up in the return line 2 until the pressure decreases due tov the draught door 13 being closed by expansion of thememberb. As

the pressure again reduces to normal the voir. is provided, with a "series of apertures whereby this device is adapted to be connected up for. use with steam boilers having different distances between the water'level of the boilerand, the level of the return line. In all instances the point of connection of the lower end of the bypass with the reservoir should be above the water level of the boiler. v

In Fig. 4 I have shown an alternative form of the device for controlling the dif ference in pressure between a'steam supply line 21 and a return line 22. The supply line 21 is provided with a valve 23 and the line 3 is connected into the steam line2l be.- yond the valve 23 and the opposite end of. the line 3 is connected into thec-hamber ,4 as shown in Fig. 2. In this case the rod, 12 is dispensed with and a short rod 24 extends upwardly from the apertured end 25 of the arm 9 and is connected to a lever 26'for operating the valve. 'lhe return line 22 is connected to the device {in identically the same manner as the return line 2 shown -in Fig. 2. v The operation of this device is the. same as that shown in Fig. v3 and when the, memher 5 contracts the rod .9 is drawn down on the pivot 10' by means of the arm T thus raising the outer end 25 of the arm to cause upward movement of the rod 2h, wliicl1 moves the lever 26 to open the valve 23. ,As the valve. 23 is opened the steam passes therethrough under pressure and through the line21 andline 3 and the steam oncoming in contact with the member 5 expands the said member causing therod 7 to raise the arm 9 to depress the end-2fq1thereof thus moving the rod 24 and lever 25-downwardly to close the -valve 23. -By adjusting the weight 20 an almost constant pressure can be maintained in the line 21 beyond the valve 23' corresponding to the position of the weight 20 on the rod 9. With the arrangement shown in Figs the device may be utilized to control the difference in pressure between the steam line andthe return line where the steam is supplied'to heat a building by a central heating station.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident'that the device is very simple and eflicient in operation, will automaticallycontrol the difference in temperature bet-ween a steam and returnline and provides a device which accomplishes theobjects described.

Havin thus fully described Iny invention, its utility and mode of operation what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United states'is 1. A. thermo-pressure regulator trolling the difference in pressure between a live steam line and a return line comprising for coniii) a chamber open to the steam line, a reservoir adapted to contain water or condensate from the return line open to the chamber. a second chamber, a tube opening into the second chamber and extending downwardly into the reservoir, the tube being open to the reservoir at the lower end. a conduit connecting the said second chamber'with the return line, a bypass connected at one end to the return line and opening at the other end into the reservoir above the open end of the said tube, a closed member inthe first chamber containing a volatile fluid, the said member being expansible or contract-able upon change of temperature, a control lever 'pivotally supported relative to the first chamber, means for operating the control lever by expansion or contraction of the expansible member and a pressure control means with which the control lever is con nected.

2. A thermo-pressure regulator for controlling the difference in pressure between a live steam line and a return line comprising a chamber open to the steam line and adapted to contain steam or condensate. a closed member in the said chamber contain ing a volatile fluid, the said member being expansible or contractable under change of temperature, a reservoir open to the chamber and adapted to contain steam or condensate, a tube in communication with the return line extending downwardly within and open to the reservoir at the lower end, a bypass connecting the reservoir with the return line, and a pressure control device adapted upon contraction of the'said closed member to effect an increase in pressure in the steam line andupon expansion of the said member to effect a decrease in pressure in the steam line.

A thermo-pressure regulator for controlling the difference in pressure between a live steam line and a return line comprising a chamber open to the steam line, a closed member therein containing a volatile fluid, the said member being expansible or contractable under change of temperature, a reservoir beneath the chamber and open thereto, a tube in communication with the return line at one end and opening within the reservoir at the opposite end, a by-pass connecting the reservoir with the return line, and means operated by expansion or contraction of the expansible member to effect variation of pressure in the steam line.

l. A thermo-pressure regulator for controlling the difference of pressure between a live steam line and a return line comprising a chamber open to the steam line, a thermostatic element therein adapted to expand or contract upon change of temperature, a reservoir beneath the chamber and open thereto, a tube in communication with the return line extending downwardly into the reservoir and provided with apertures inthe lower end thereof, a by-pass opening at one end intermediate the ends of the reservoir and opening at the opposite end intothe return line, a control lever operated by expansion or contraction of the thermostatic element, and a pressure control device with which the control lever connected. v

5; A thermo-pressure regulator for con-' trolling the difference of pressure between a live steam line and a return line comprising a chamber open to the steam line, a member therein expansible or contractable under change of temperature. a reservoir beneath the chamber and open thereto," a bypass connecting the return line with the reservoir, and means operable the expansible memher to effect variation of steam pressure.

6. A thermo-pressure regulator forcontrolling the difference in pressure between a live steam line and a return line comprising a chamber connected between the steam and return lines including a seal to normally prevent flow of steam into the return line, a closed member containing a volatile fluid subject to the variation of temperature within the chamber, the said member being expansible or contractable upon change of temperature, and means operable by the expansible member to effect variation of pressure in the steam line. i

7. A, thermo-pressure regulator for controlling the difference in pressure between a live steam line and a return line comprising a chamber open to the steam line, a thermostatic element adapted to expand or contract upon change of temperature in the said chamber, a reservoir beneath the chamber and open thereto, a tube in communication with the return line extending downwardly intothe reservoir and provided with apertures in the lower end thereof, a by-pass opening at one end intermediate the ends of the reservoir and opening at the opposite end into the return line and means operated by expansion or contraction of the thermostatic: element to effect variation of pressure in the steam line, 1

8. A thermopressure regulator for controlling the difference in pressure between a live steam line and a return line comprising a chamber connected between the steam and return line including a seal to normally prevent flow of, steam into the return line, a closed member in the said chamber containing a volatile fluid, the said member being expansible or contractable under change of temperature, and means operable by the ex pansible member to effect variation of pressure in the steam line.

9. A thermo-pressure regulator for controlling the dif'terence in pressure between a livesteamline and a return line comprising i a chamber open to the steamline, a closed expansible and contractable member therein containing-a volatile fluid, a reservoir be neath and open to the said chamber, a tube in communication with the return line and opening within the reservoir at theoppovsite end, a by-pass opening to the return line at a point above the water level therein atone end and with the reservoir at theopposite end, the said reservoir .beingprovided with means whereby the point of connection of the bypass may be altered in a .vertieal plane, and means operatedbyexpansion or contraction of thesaid nieinber-to efieetvariation in pressure of the steam line.

10. A thermo-pressure regulatorior con- ;rolling the diii'erence of pressurebetween a steam line and'a return line, comprising a chamber open to the steam line, a member therein eontractable. or expansilole under change of temperature, a reservoir beneath the chamber: and. open thereto, a passageway leading from near the bottom of the reservoir to the returnline beneath the, Water levelthereol a by-pass connected at one end with the return line above the water level thereotandwith the reservoir, said IQSQI, voir being adapted. for connection therewith of the opposite end of theby-pass at a series of points in vertically spaced; relation p0l111lttl11g; 11SQ- Of a b-y-pass of a length to correspond with the (listancehetween there: turn line and water level of a boiler of any particular installation, and means operable by the (BXPrUlSlblQ -IHGHlbQF to eiiectwariw tion in steam pressure.

t'ion.

WASHINGTON Hs, CHAPMAN In testimonywhereof I sign this speeificae 

